Pantawid ng Pag-ibig food drive helps address hunger in time of COVID-19

A video footage showing hundreds of people in Quezon City being dispersed after gathering to ask for food aid went viral on social media recently. Police authorities ascribed the incident to false information being spread to a community that food and other assistance would be distributed.

It has been three weeks since the government implemented the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon to combat the spread of the deadly COVID-19. The government has asked people to stay at home. Many of them are not able to work. Some have lost their daily sources of income. While they fear the spread of the virus, they are also facing difficulty in feeding their families.

“Boss, baka pwedeng makahingi ng konting CA para sa amin. Pasensya na po,”appealed Sammy Custodio, who works in a machinery company in Bulacan, in an interview with TV Patrol. Sammy, who lives in Valenzuela, has not been working for weeks now. His last pay of P3,000 is almost used up. Providing food for his family is a big concern.

“Isang klaseng ulam hanggang hapon na iyon. Tapos nangutang lang kami ng bigas. Wala tayong magagawa, utang-utang na rin,” he shared. His partner, Cris Anne Pamintuan, expressed concern over their future. “Nakakatakot kapag nag-total lockdown dahil wala naman kaming ipon na pangmatagalan,” she said.

The problem of hunger is real. To help in addressing the plight of the Filipino families during this difficult time, ABS-CBN works with private companies and local governments in Metro Manila to provide food and daily necessities via the Pantawid ng Pag-ibig campaign.

“We hope that no Filipino will suffer from hunger in this challenging time. As we have proven many times before, it is our love and concern for each other that will get us through any crisis,” said ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak on television when the network launched the project.

ABS-CBN has turned over to Metro Manila local governments the first P100M worth of food and products that will benefit some 200,000 families. The items were purchased using the donations raised from individuals and private companies. These include rice, canned goods, instant noodles, biscuits, milk, coffee, shampoo, soap, detergent and vitamins. Upon turn over, the local governments then repacked and delivered the packages to the homes of their constituents.

Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian said on television, “Alam niyo sa ganitong pagkakataon, yung private and public partnership katulad ng ginagawa ng ABS-CBN ay malaking tulong. Alam natin ito ay isang buwan. So sa isang buwan, marami tayong dapat pakainin at hindi kakayanin ng gobyerno lamang.”

The goods provided through the Pantawid ng Pag-ibig project supplements whatever the local governments have prepared for their people.

“Kahit may mga budget po kami, hindi pa rin po sasapat kaya nagpapasalamat talaga kami. Napakaganda ng proyekto na ito ng ABS-CBN. Talagang makakatulong po ito, ma-e-extend pa ang kung anong mayroon kami sa local government,” said Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto Rubiano in an interview with TV Patrol.

Knowing how people are coping with the difficulties these days, some of them working in the city governments have volunteered to help in the repacking of goods even if it means having to walk to their workplace. Like in the case of Leonora Sabas, it takes her an hour to get to the Paranaque gym from her home in Barangay Don Bosco. Not minding the long walk, Leonora finds fulfillment in being a volunteer to repack the goods.

“Naaawa po ako sa mga kapitbahay namin, sa mga tao… Kasi yung iba, nasabi po nila na wala po sila, ganun. Kaya instead na nasa bahay lang po, tutulong na lang po ako para po sa kanila,” she shared.

In Taguig City, local officials distribute food packages at night to ensure that residents are in their homes ready to receive them. “Hindi siya problema ng supply. Limitasyon siya ng kapabilidad noong distribution. Dahil sa problema ng pagkalat ng Coronavirus, limitado iyong pwedeng umikot,” said Mayor Lino Cayetano.

By partnering with the local governments, Pantawid ng Pag-ibig can distribute food and help address the problem of hunger that many Filipinos are experiencing.

For those who would like to share their blessings, any amount of donation will go a long way in helping those in need. Those who would like to take part in the Pantawid ng Pag-ibig project may donate to ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. Sagip Kapamilya bank accounts: BPI peso account 3051-11-55-88; Metrobank peso account 636-3-636-08808-1; PNB peso account 1263-7000-4128; BDO peso account 0039301-14199; and BDO dollar account 1039300-81622.